Results 5,181-5,200 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has engaged in extensive consultation in relation to the development and implementation of Project Maths. I would remind the deputy that curricular change was considered imperative in view of the concerns about rote learning, student uptake at Higher Level and student achievement levels in mathematics. The new syllabus is designed to transform teaching and learning of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The only project in the Lucan area that has been tendered recently is Scoil Mhuire, Woodview, Lucan. Construction commenced on that project in May 2012. The contractor is Ganson Building and Civil Engineering Contractors. In common with the rest of the Public Sector, capital works projects in schools are tendered under the standard Public Works Contracts as required by the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware of this Government's ongoing commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. The policy of my Department is to secure the maximum possible level of inclusion of students with special educational needs in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, or where a special school or special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The independent Student Grants Appeals Board has received an appeal from the student referred to by the Deputy. The Appeals Board aims to issue appeal determinations as promptly as possible and within the specified timeframe specified in the Student Support Act, 2011. The student will be notified directly of the outcome by the Appeals Board.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that emergency funding to replace the boiler at the school in question was approved on 26th March, 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Renewable Energy Incentives (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is at the forefront of design with respect to sustainable energy efficiency (including water conservation and efficiency) in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both National and International level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in Design and Specification. The Departments Technical Guidance Documents set the benchmark for sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application in relation to means, residency, nationality and previous academic attainment, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student would qualify for a grant. Documentary evidence is required as proof of a student's independent address from 1st...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 390, 394 and 413 together. The school referred to by the Deputies has an application with my Department for large scale capital funding for a replacement school building. In this regard, a greenfield site has been identified by my Department. The current status of all schools on the school building programme may be viewed on my Department's website at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: There will be no change to the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the coming school year, 2013/14. The school had 5 teaching posts in the current school year. It will have 5 teaching posts in the 2013/14 school year. The Government has protected frontline services in schools to the greatest extent possible in the recent budget and there will be no reduction in teacher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am aware that the Association referred to by the Deputy is experiencing difficulties as my officials are in direct contact with the school in question and the Health Service Executive.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that officials from my Department have been in ongoing discussions with Co. Wicklow VEC regarding a permanent site for the school to which he refers. Given the sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to comment further at this time in relation to the proposed acquisition of an identified site. However, as soon as a site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, his student grant application was appealed to the Appeals Officer in SUSI and the original decision was overturned. The student's application was reassessed and a revised award letter issued to the student on 15th March, 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of a proposal to amalgamate two Galway City second level schools. My Department has sought further information from the Patron and when this is received the proposal can be considered further.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: It is the National Procurement Service (NPS), in the Office of Public Works, which has developed centralised arrangements for the procurement of goods and services used commonly across the public service nationwide. Accordingly, the information requested by the Deputy is not available within my Department. My Department understands that Codex Ltd, which holds the current stationery...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Fee Refund Scheme (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The refunds for the Teacher Fees Scheme in 2011 were paid last year by the Marino Institute of Education who administer the scheme on behalf of my Department. Marino Institute of Education are now accepting applications for the refund of fees scheme for teachers who have successfully undertaken a course in the 2011/12 academic year. The closing date for receipt of applications is later...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for grant aid to replace temporary accommodation. The application is currently being assessed and my Department will convey a decision on the application to the school authority when the assessment process has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions Entry Requirements (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Universities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and the Institutes of Technology Act 2006 and the management of their academic affairs, including admissions criteria and grading processes, are matters for the individual institutions concerned. Neither I nor my Department has any function in relation to such matters. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. All schools have been advised to apply to the NCSE for resource...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Designation (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: A key priority for my Department is to continue to prioritise and target resources in schools with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage. The underlying criteria for participation in DEIS is a school's relative level of disadvantage against all other schools therefore those post-primary schools with the highest concentration of disadvantage were selected for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Regulations (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Given the potential benefits that can be realised across the public sector, public procurement is one of the major projects of key strategic importance under the Government's Public Service Reform Plan. The Public Service Reform Plan, published in November 2011, provides for the development of a new policy framework for procurement. This work is now being led by the newly appointed Chief...